This application relates generally to devices, systems and methods for selectively delivering water, other liquids, other solids and/or other materials to a target location.
Wild fires have increased in average size about 20% in the last five years. In the last twenty years, the average size of a wild fire has increased by 60%. In the United States, the average cost of a wild fire is about 6.5 million dollars. Beyond the monetary cost, wild fires also have a significant and lasting environmental impact. In particular, every acre that is burned of medium density fuel, more than fifty tons of hydrocarbon and toxic gases may be released into the atmosphere.
Currently, to fight wild fires, an aircraft is used to deploy water and fire retardant chemicals at or around the wild fire to contain the wild fire or put out the wild fire. The aircraft serving to put out the wild fire is typically a retired aircraft serving a “second life”. The retired aircraft is reconfigured and maintained for single mission use, namely, fighting wild fires. The aircraft drops the water and/or fire retardant chemicals on the fire or locations around the fire to contain the fire. To this end, the aircraft flies very close to the ground location or target location to ensure that the water and fire retardant chemicals dispersed in the air reach the target location. If the aircraft is too high above the target location, then the dispersed water and/or fire retardant chemicals may be blown over a large area so that its concentration may be ineffective at containing the fire or putting out the fire. Accordingly, the aircraft must perform a nap of the Earth flying maneuver wherein the aircraft flies very close to the ground or fire location. Unfortunately, due to this dangerous flight profile, the aircraft may operate only when visibility is clear, during daylight and within a limited daylight range. The aircraft cannot fly during night hours or during heavy winds. Additionally, when the fire is located within a canyon, the reduced daylight hours due to the canyon angles further limit the operational time of the aircraft. The weather and winds may also prevent or limit operation of the aircraft to deploy water and/or fire retardant chemicals.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved device, system and method for selectively delivering water, the liquid and/or other material to a target location.